The chief of US Central Command flew over the Strait of Hormuz in a CH-47 Chinook helicopter on Sunday. The military command stated that US forces have helped Gulf partners export more than 1.5 billion barrels of crude oil since the summer.
More than 3,000 commercial vessels have passed through the strait with support from US forces over the past six months, according to CENTCOM. Brad Cooper said during his flight that his visit to the waterway demonstrates a strong commitment to freedom of navigation.
Shipping activity gained momentum in recent months after US forces cleared international shipping lanes of sea mines. CENTCOM stated that these mines had been laid by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
During the trip, Cooper met with US service members who supported the mine-clearing mission. He thanked them for their work and said that primary transit routes in the strait are free and clear of Iranian sea mines.
Cooper said US forces are focused on keeping commercial traffic moving. He added that the military is working alongside other US government agencies, the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the shipping industry.
CENTCOM reported that more than 95 percent of ships navigating the strait in recent months passed through safely. The command attributed this to US efforts despite what it described as aggression by the Revolutionary Guard.
Iran maintains that reopening the strait depends on meeting seven conditions. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated that Washington must lift the US naval blockade of its ports, ease sanctions on oil exports, and halt hostilities.
Negotiations have reportedly stalled over those Iranian demands. Iran has claimed control over the waterway since the war began and has regularly targeted vessels attempting to cross without its authorization.
The visit of the CENTCOM chief to Hormuz followed remarks by President Donald Trump. Trump reportedly said that Washington may launch another military campaign, referring to the US-Israeli operations against Iran that began on February 28.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded during a televised event in Tehran on Sunday. Araghchi stated that renewed conflict with the US and Israel would not change Iranian positions.
An April 8 ceasefire halted the most intense fighting between Iran and the US. Sporadic exchanges of fire continued around the strait afterwards, though those clashes have subsided in recent weeks.
